3/17/2008

Karl took me to the side. He seized my elbow from below, so that I could stretch the arm only to the front.

"Listen. Death is one thing in life and that one does not mean necessarily fun. Life is the other thing in life and does not necessarily mean fun either, but what the heck, we must move on."

I looked at him a bit speechless. "What, what do you want me to say?" I asked.

"Well, if you ever have to use your elbows, and every day feel the need to fight, then you pay on the invisible account fight. The fight account is a thankful account, because it brings you profit in the form struggles you never wanted. People who like to fight are always looking for a worthy opponent. "

"Yes, could you please get to the point," I replied irritated.

"There is another thankful account. And this means peace. I don't think of living with your fellow man in peace. In the end you can not change your neighbor. No, I mean of living with yourself in peace. Fight - many men fight day by day with themselves. They are so busy working to become more handsome and powerful that they do not realize that someday they have begun to see themselves as opponents. They lead a war against themselves that they will lose because what should strengthen them will actually kill them. "

"Look into yourself. Search your picture and look at it as your best friend is, as long as you live. Accept this friend as he is and you gain 10 years of life extra time out of life."

Some people would value being given more time, ironically perhaps when they don't know how much they have allotted themselves already. How you accept or reject other people mirrors aspects of yourself that you resist or reject. We all learn from each other.

I am no native english speaker. I translate from german to english. So if you find out that some phrases are better expressed in another way, please don't hesitate to recommend text changes. Future visitors will benefit.